23 Opposition Parties Write to CJI Alleging Bias in Electoral Roll Revision

NEW DELHI: Twenty-three opposition parties, including the DMK and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have jointly written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), expressing concerns over the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The parties allege that the exercise is being conducted by a “biased” Election Commission (EC) that favours the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The letter, sent on Tuesday, marks a significant escalation in the opposition's battle against the revision process.

According to sources, the opposition parties argue that the SIR exercise is vulnerable to manipulation due to various procedural flaws. They specifically pointed to discrepancies in data quality, such as inclusion of deceased persons in the electoral rolls of states like West Bengal. The letter also highlights the varied timelines for SIR in different states, citing examples from Bihar and Tamil Nadu, to underline what they perceive as arbitrariness. The opposition has demanded a uniform calendar for completing the SIR process.

The letter has been signed by prominent opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, JMM’s Hemant Soren, National Conference’s Omar Abdullah, and Left politicians. Independent MP Kapil Sibal also signed. Notably, the DMK and AAP, which are not part of the INDIA bloc, still endorsed the letter, boosting the opposition's morale ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh shared on social media platform X: “A joint letter signed by 23 political parties plus one Independent has been sent to the CJI today.” The INDIA bloc has not publicly released the letter, but sources indicate that it appeals to the judiciary as the only remaining avenue for relief, without casting aspersions on the court itself.

The opposition has previously raised concerns about the conduct of the SIR exercise. The letter is seen as an attempt to seek judicial intervention to ensure fairness and transparency in the revision of electoral rolls. The EC has yet to respond to the allegations.